City Watch program looks to partner police, community members through internet alerts
By Sondra Murphy
The Kunkle Room was more crowded than usual Wednesday as Oak View Civic Council members gathered to elect a new board. Nominations were plentiful with several positions having more than one candidate.
Honorary Mayor Al Buczkowski, who was elected in April during the Oak View Awards Banquet, tallied the ballots and the winners are as follows: President John Herndon; Vice President Jill Olivares; Second Vice President Pat Stone; Treasurer Guinevere Johnson; Secretary Lynn Smith; Parliamentarian Catherine Lee; Member at Large Randy Burg; Member at Large Elizabeth Tousignant
Pat Gorey, previous treasurer, has meticulously served two years and bylaws require a replacement for board positions after that time whenever new candidates are available. Dee Harper and Danna Prock were also nominated in the member at large categories and Johnson was nominated for secretary, as well.
After the election, the new board continued with the agenda. Buczkowski had arranged to have Sgt. Joe Evans with the Ventura County Sheriff’s Department come speak to the council about the City Watch program being organized in the Ojai Valley.
Still in the early phases, the program uses internet resources to communicate crime incidents to neighborhood watch groups and other partnerships concerned with increasing safety and security in their areas.
Evans took questions first and the community was primarily concerned with gang activity in its many forms, but especially shootings, graffiti and why gang members are so antagonistic to each other.
“It’s a mutual thing and they’re all at fault,” said Evans. “They don’t play in the sandbox very well together.” He went on to say that the goal for the Ojai Valley City Watch is to get 15,000 people in the valley who are willing to call the police when they witness criminal activity.
By signing up to be a part of the City Watch program, the Sheriff’s Department will be able to send out incident emails to participants in an effort to identify perpetrators. “All our crimes blend into each other,” said Evans. “When we have crime trends in the valley, information will go out to everybody on the e-mail lists to request reports. It opens up the communication between the people in the community.”
Evans organized a successful City Watch when he worked out of Thousand Oaks and is using this experience to help improve communication between the police and residents. By knowing what is going on, it increases security within communities. “When you can’t get information to resolve your fear, that’s when it’s a problem,” said Evans. “Make no mistake. This is about arresting people.”
As the Ojai Valley City Watch program develops, additional information will be made available on how to get involved. For more information, contact Evans at joe.evans@ventura.org.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
35 comments:
Yes, that's the answer. Elect a council. Maybe they can commission a report. Perhaps we'll get an edict. Your tax dollars hard at work!
Perhaps you missed the fact that the election was simply to select a new board - the gang issue was an item on the agenda for the new board to discuss.
What a great lead into today's potential killing. I got a call from my wife who was driving by Fierro (off of Rice) and saw a kid lying in the street. He had been intentionally hit and run over by another "kid" in a car. The intersection of Granito and Fierro was totally taped off. There were about 10-15 cops, part of the kids skull was lodged in the car and he was still evacuated via helicopter down the street. The rumors are the house where the action took place is a total drug house not too mention the kids from there have gang related incidences and I've personally witnessed one of them. The cops seem pathetic and helpless to stop it. As a resident in the area, knowing it's been going on for over a year now, it seems accurate the cops truly don't Protect and Serve. Sure.. the CHP will sit in the neighborhood and give out little stop sign violations... but truly protecting us.. not here. Time to get my own gun.
Amen to the prior blog. There have been problems at this house for months. Fights in the street, vandalism and so on. Pretty hard to believe there have not been shots fired. I expect the situation will get worse, maybe tonight! The incident today happened in the afternnon, lots of people out walking, kids playing. The neighborhood is pretty sick the whole situation. Seems pretty hard to believe that the police cannot do something about it. Just like everything else it is going to take someone getting killed before they decide to take the whole thing seriously.
Yea its a joke The police know who the gang members are or the osl members are. but dont do anything about. Anyone hear about the shooting next to Oakview Hay last month. The best part is one of the.. eh eh gang members who is related to a local tree trimming company(who will remain nameless figure it out its not to hard) came back two days later
Yea it gets better my Teenage son and daughter were walking to Jollykone when a alleged osl member starting asking where they were from and tried to get them to fight saying that white people dont belong in M. O. anymore. Give me a break. If they started inforcing the no lottering law at all the local businesses that have the day labores/drug dealers hanging out at all day maybe it would start to clean things up a little. This is Ojai not colonia we need to change things while we still can
My tax dollars say put some punks in jail and I'll gladly pay for that or hire a good detective and get to work busting them! Get these pieces of trash out of here.
Those people are human beings, and it's not right to just push your problems somewhere else. Maybe the solution is more long term, and more considerate of the human condition.
What does that even mean?
Gang membership isn't some organic condition like cancer. Their behavior can't be explained away, and the problem isn't intolerance, or racism, etc. It is behavior, and they are able to get away with selfish anti-social behavior because of mushheads who think a little more "understanding" will solve it.
don't be offended gangs are trash... after all they only just cold blooded ran another guy over in the middle of the day, in the middle of the street, for all of the neighbors and kids to see.
Those people are human beings
Are you just playing the role of a Rush Limbaugh version of a liberal in order to stir the pot here, or do you actually believe that crap?
They don't need more understanding. They need about 5 years each in total solitary confinement. No daily contact with their homies. No exercise yard. No working in the laundry. No contact with anyone, including their families. No letters. No radio. No TV. If they want to read, they can have a book every two weeks. If they want to write, they can write. If the camera in their tiny, windowless cell shows that they are sick or possibly dead, they can have a visit from several armed guards who have EMT training.
Solitary confinement, and nothing else. That's what they need.
1 out of 100 American males are behind bars, and creating a prison state (currently the largest in the world) isn't the solution to this problem. History has shown that putting people in prison doesn't fix the social woes that fostered the offender in the first place. Imprisonment of potentially productive individuals (and I don't care what you say, everyone has potential) is a tremendous drain on the economy, and if those monies were better spent on creating more effective social programs we might be able to stem the problem at the root. But then, I also believe that we should feed the world instead of waging war against it for our personal gain. As the world leader I believe it's our responsibility to set a positive example for others to admire and follow. I've done my best to use this technique as a parent, and I endeavor to utilize it as a citizen. Consider that what you describe sounds an awful lot like Guantanamo Bay -- and no matter how you look at it, that place is a detriment to what America stands for. Amnesty International would define your form of punishment as inhumane.
I think Sgt. Evans said it best:
“All our crimes blend into each other. When we have crime trends in the valley, information will go out to everybody on the e-mail lists to request reports. It opens up the communication between the people in the community.”
The point isn't to peek out from your curtains and call 911 when you see a bald Latino in a white shirt. He's talking about empowerment. The idea is that by building a web of communication that extends into the households of residents from all walks of life helps us to isolate and address the problems BEFORE they happen. This doesn't preclude standard arrest, trial, and punishment procedures (as Sgt. Evans bluntly points out), but it can be used to bring our community together so that we can save misguided youth from following the path of incarceration that only ultimately serves to sharpen and congregate criminal skills. The answer lies in forward thinking the problem at the root, not the leaves.
Yes great comments thats why the economy is the mess that it is. Schools cant afford to stay open because half the students dont speak english and the parents are here illegaly and dont pay taxes .If you think they do you need to come of that make believe world and talk to business owners who employ them with fake s.s. numbers ,or they claim exempt and dont pay a dime, or the hospitals that are full of illegals not paying there bills.This has nothing to do with the mexican gang problems we have. Come on lived her for 50 years, before we had a heavy influx of illegals we had none of these problems. How do you explain that. Should we just give them the keys to our houses,cars and any thing they want because there misunderstood....please
Amnesty International would define your form of punishment as inhumane.
Boo-fracking-hoo. What do you call what these little cretins do to each other?
It's their family's job to fix them, not mine. My job is to protect my family, and believe me, I'll do whatever it takes. I believe that's how government and law enforcement ought to see it, too.
If you want to fix them, fine. I prefer to fix things so that they can't mess with innocent people. I don't know how much collateral damage among the ranks of the innocent you're willing to accept while you're singing Kumbaya with sociopaths, but I'm not willing to accept any at all.
If you want to protect killers from people who are trying to make a safer world for their families, then invite those killers over to your house and tell them to stay inside.
Right on to the blog prior to this. Speaking of collateral damage, how willing is Captain Norris or Bob Brooks or Sgt. Evans to come and spend a month in either one of the houses next to the one involved in the Fierro incident? Not likely, I am sure! There is a high liklihood that this incident is not over. It has been going on for months and nothing has been done yet to stop it. The neighborhhod used to be a nice, quiet place popluated by at least two firefighters, several teachers, an executive chef, retired people...just plain nice people. We are getting pretty damn tired of seeing black and whites parked in front of this dump. We say throw all the little monsters in a locked room together and let the last one standing out when the melee is done.
While you're at it, take the people who rent to gangsters and put them in that room, too.
The viciousness of the OVN's online readership never ceases to amaze. I don't see such viciousness in Ojai itself. I wonder where the OVN online readership is coming from?
(For that matter, these vicious trolls don't generally populate the Ojai Post either.)
As to the point of this thread: The census tells us there are about 30,000 people in the entire Ojai valley.
The Ventura Sheriff's Department would like 15,000 of us to become registered informants?
Come on.
Anyone who thinks that is a solution is having a hard time seeing the problem.
As to the racist "not gonna take it anymores!" who want to lock up all "gangsters" and throw away the key, take a reality check: These "gangsters" first of all keep their fighting among themselves by and large. They've always minded their own business when I am around them. Perhaps some of you haters ought to do the same. Find something else to hate. Something productive. How about what the Republicans have done to this country?
Hear, hear.
All you pansies who can't hang with reality of how these GANSTERS, TRASH, AND LOSERS ruin our community need to go live in La La Land and hold hands and have a peace rally. GET REAL - THESE PEOPLE NEED TO BE LOCKED AWAY FOR GOOD - THEY WILL NEVER CHANGE! These people are glad they aren't my neighbors! I can't stand people who want to "be humane" - How about this - when they act "humane" they will be treated "humane". Do unto others as you wish others do unto you...And yes, if I was a criminal that caused such trauma and damage to a community, I would only hope that the community would want me locked away.
Anyone who thinks that is a solution is having a hard time seeing the problem.
We see the problem. It's you.
When you or a family member get caught in the crossfire someday, maybe you'll live just long enough for me to lean over you and say "Told you so, idiot."
I got tired of the gangs,illegal aliens, and the general run -down of my standard of living and moved. It became very evident that the Ojai valley was becoming a satellite for mexican gangs and nothing was going to be done. The week before I left there was a tag of ms 13. I know where I reside now, that if a problem like this starts us moutain men will take care of it.Later or should I say adios
Yep, all you Kumbaya-ers will sure think differently when one of yours gets caught in the crossfire. It is bound to happen. The only ones who make it a "racist thing" are those who are involved! If the shoe fits, freakin' wear it! What the hell do they think all of this is going to accomplish?
I went to school in this valley from the 60's to the 70's. There were hispanic kids galore. At that time the mindset of the hispanics was that they were so happy to be here in the great USA. They learned English, they wore their pants up where they should instead around their butts, they tried to fit in. They DID fit in. In school they were never thought of as anything else besides kids who were just a tad darker than the rest of us. Nowadays they have this attitude that the great USA owes them for sneaking across our border. We have to supply them with bilingual aides and that whole deal. Go to Mexico and do they take care of you? Do they supply you with governmental assistance? Do they bend over backwards to find someone who speaks English to take care of your kids? Me thinks not.
I know we have been all thru this before, but dangit, obey the laws.
Let's get back to what happened.
A guy in some gang was run over in the middle of the day, in the middle of the street, after being chased through the neighborhood.
Neighbors, families, children should NOT be subjected to this. You think I want my kids getting off school, walking home through these streets KNOWING this continues to go on? The same family is not moving any time soon. They're home, acting like stupid WT.
Black, mexican, or white... any involvement in a gang should be taken seriously and dealt with quickly. If the police, city, law can't do it, we as a community need to do it.
Looking forward to getting together with those who'd like to protect our families.
Intolerance only makes the problem worse.
Those that are not tollerating the laws are the ones causing the problems. Intollerance IS THE PROBLEM!!! Get it?!
Intolerance only makes the problem worse.
This is the kind of bumper-sticker mentality that solves nothing, is provably false, but feels good to those making it, kind of like holding candles to stop war, or wearing a t-shirt that says "Save Darfur."
The problem to too much tolerance, not intolerance.
The problem to too much tolerance, not intolerance.
Right on.
And, to those who would throw out charges of racism, I think that you can probably include yourselves in the ranks of the racists. You're the ones talking about race, not us. If these kids were White, Black, or Asian, I'd be coming down on them just as hard. Why? Because they're bad people, and they'd be bad people no matter what color they were.
None of the rest of us care what color these punks are, because a punk is a punk. Good, even great, people come in all colors, nationalities, and religions. These punks do not number among them. These are the creeps who will grow up to be even bigger creeps. There's no shortage of good kids, and that bad ones know that they're bad. They have a choice to make every single day when they wake up, and every single day they make the wrong choice. Time for a great, big, long, quiet time out for all of them. Solitary confinement, now. It's no more inhumane than getting shanked, beat up, or raped in a "normal" prison.
"us moutain men will take care of it..."
whadda moron.
So, what I would like to know is why are these "people" not out working or going to school on a Monday afternoon? Where do they get their money? Drug sales, maybe? Does all of this crap not give the law folks probable cause to go and roust their habitat? Maybe they'd find something...drugs, illegal guns, SOME reason to lock their sorry asses up and give them a big time-out.
Maybe the Mountain Man has the right idea. Sure seems like those that are supposed to be cleaning up the streets are not exactly doing a bang-up job.
It is not a racial issue; it is a quality of life issue. the people involved in this "altercation" were white AND hispanic. The problems are drugs, gangs, and a lack of personal responsibility. I personally do not care whether these individuals are citizens or not. I DO care that they are making my home town unsafe. I DO care that graffiti defaces so many areas of the valley. I DO care that some of these young men (of ALL races) walk down mainstreet in clothing that would be more appropriate to one sitting in front of the TV with a can of beer in each hand.
I don't believe that a lack of opportunity is the problem. There are abundant opportunities within our schools, rec centers, beach and mountain surroundings, and neighborhood parks that these individuals CHOSE not to participate in. Money was not the reason - there are always scholarships for those who cannot afford to pay. My own children never had TIME to get involved with drugs and gangs, and neither did I, when I was growing up here. These people CHOSE to be gangsters, crooks, and jerks, despite what they were offered. We need to get back to the attitude that the neighborhoods are OURS, and call parents, police, the newspaper, or whoever can shine a light on this crap and end it! Cell phone cameras could be very useful in documenting misbehaviors.
I think everyone should take a deep breath and try to work with the police. You have to have physical evidence to keep these criminals in jail. Without it they will get out as soon as they went in. This issue needs to be addressed immediatley before someone innocent is killed.
Lets clean up this neighborhood.
I bet if the neighborhood was that of the head cop it would have been cleaned up long ago.
Anonymous 3:42 is correct. It is up to us to clean up our own neighborhoods - and I don't mean by turning into vigilantes. I know that I don't know a lot of my neighbors, and I will work to change that. We need to report all suspicious activities to the police, and let kids know that we see them - for both the positive things and the negative. We can support positive activities for kids and acknowledge their accomplishments, and we can be visible when kids are out, possibly engaging in destructive behavior. It is no longer safe to look the other way
mexican gangs are using ojai as a staging area for recruitment of workers in their national forest marijuana farms. they routinely gather at the laundromat on bald st. where their mothers and girl friends wash the cloths of the "agricos narcos". law enforcement gang intervention is only marginally effective due to the casual attitude of law enforcement toward these gangs as being part of the mexican culture and therefore creating fear among law enforcement that to target these individuals would be viewed as cultural intolerance and racial profiling thereby inviting criticism from community activists. local law enforcement has neither the political will nor occupational pride to address this growing problem with anything resembling courage. one has to wonder that they might be getting a piece of the action. good luck and good bye to ojai as a sleepy little artists community. the mexican gangbangers are here to stay.
Post a Comment